


Wonders of Being a Captive

by supremegreendragon



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Dad!Henry, Daddy Issues, Dark, Delusions, Implied Slash, Kidnapping, M/M, Monster!Bendy, Stockholm Syndrome, darkish fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2019-08-23 05:33:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 11,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16612868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supremegreendragon/pseuds/supremegreendragon
Summary: Drabbles on Henry and Bendy's relationship.....particularly when Bendy's holding Henry captive in the art studio.





	1. Chapter 1

Henry liked it better when the monstrosity that used to be his drawing didn’t talk. At least then, Bendy hadn’t called him dad. Henry was never good with children, and he was certainly too old to learn how to be good now.

Also, there was the fact that Bendy was an ink demon from hell. That was the other problem.

But ever since Bendy caught him during their ‘chases,’ he was determined to play house with his creator. He took him to some sort of safe room that had a kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom. Then he just kept him there. While at the same time pretending this was how their lives were supposed to go.

Bendy would come ‘home’ every so often, although where he was going, Henry had no idea. Once he arrived, Bendy would try to play catch with Henry using a baseball he kept lord knows where. If Henry declined, which he always did, then he would ask to help Henry with his drawings. Henry was going out of his mind being a prisoner in this tiny house that somehow fit in his old studio, so he took to taking a pen and paper and drawing old cartoons.

This was what he was doing when Bendy arrived, like clockwork, at 2:45.

“What’cha doing, Dad?” he asked in a deep demonic voice that tried to sound small. It was freaking ridiculous.

Henry didn’t say this out loud of course. He didn’t want to risk angering the demon and he liked his limbs intact, thank you very much.

This was also why he kept up the illusion by playing along. A happy monster was a monster that didn’t munch on your bones. There was a saying like that somewhere, right?

He forced himself to smile, “I’m drawing Daffy Duck.”

Slowly, the wide grin on Bendy’s inky face fell. He ‘looked’ at the drawing. At least Henry thought he was looking. It was hard to tell with his eyes all covered in that goop. True enough, Henry’s favorite Loony Toon stared back, waving hello.

“I don’t know him.”

“You wouldn’t, Bendy. He’s not from the same show.”

Bendy turned to him and frowned, “Then why are you drawing him?”

Henry, realizing that he might be getting into trouble, scrambled to explain himself.

“Well. I love all kinds of cartoons. Sometimes I draw toons from other sources.”

“Don’t you love us anymore?”

“Of course I do,” Henry was shocked how easy it was to say that, “But just because I’m drawing other cartoons, doesn’t mean I stopped loving you. I just like variety.”

Bendy stilled. He looked on the floor, making some sort of weird noise. It took Henry a moment to realize that he was growling. Henry stood up in case he needed to make his escape.

Before he could blink, Bendy snatched the paper and tore it into pieces. Henry watched as the remains of his work spilled on the floor. Suddenly he was being pushed back on his chair, where another blank piece of paper waited for him.

“Draw right this time!”

Frowning, Henry took out his pencil and began drawing Bendy (the real one, not this monster) smiling up at Boris. The ink demon watched as Henry went to work. He purred in satisfaction.

Henry vowed to escape. ‘Bendy’ couldn’t keep him here forever.


	2. 2

Henry stirred his spoon without thought, the bacon swirling with his movements. For 30-year-old soup, it was surprisingly delicious. At least it had been the first few times he ate it. But after having it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for over a week, Henry wanted to dump it all into the sink. Too bad it was his only source of food.

Damn. What he wouldn’t give for a hamburger or a slice of pizza right about now.

Bendy watched him from the corner of the room. He stood like a shadow, arms crossed, observing quietly as Henry played with his meal.

“You’re not eating, Dad.”

It was a simple comment. But one that made Henry angry. No shit, Bendy. He wasn’t eating because he was sick of it. Sick of soup, sick of this place, sick of being held here against his will.

Henry stood up. He was planning on heading straight to his work desk and drawing some delicious food. But Bendy was in front of him in an instant. He pushed Henry back down on the chair. Henry tried to stand back up, but a giant inky hand held him in place, pinning him to his seat. 

“You need to eat,” Bendy stated patiently.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Dad….”

Could he stop calling him that? Henry felt the days of captivity were taking its toll. He was starting to become aggravated over the slightest thing. Not even fear of the monster’s rage was enough to keep the charade lasting forever.

“I’m not your dad. And I’m sick of soup! I’ll eat when I’m starving, because that’s the only way I’m going to taste this fucking shit again.”

Growling, Bendy pressed Henry against the chair hard enough to hurt. Henry was afraid he was going to smash him into the floor. He had an image of being squashed like a bug.

“You will eat, Dad,” Bendy emphasized the title intentionally, “Even if I have to make a pump from the Ink Machine and force it down your puny throat.”

“Wow. You’re so caring,” Henry spat sarcastically. He knew he was pushing it. He was basically asking for his bones to be broken at this rate.

Bendy snarled. When he raised his clawed hand, Henry flinched, fully expecting a hard slap across the face. Instead the hand had decided to grab hold of the soup. He brought it toward Henry’s lips.

“Now eat.”

He forced it inside Henry’s mouth until the animator had only two options left. Swallow or choke. He chose the former. As soon as he was done, another spoonful of soup was shoved inside. Bendy kept one hand gripping at Henry’s hair, preventing the human from turning his head away. 

Bendy pulled away as soon as the meal was done. Henry wished he could throw up intentionally, just to spite the demon. But if there was one thing he knew about Bendy, it was that it was better to get on his good side. Besides, now that Henry had lost the battle, he had no more will to fight with Bendy on anything.

Seeing his submission caused Bendy to smile.

“There. An old timer like yerself shouldn’t be skipping meals. Now why don’t we do something fun, Dad? I have a chessboard I made from ink. Whaddya say?”

Henry swore on his life. He would escape.


	3. Chapter 3

It turned out that although Bendy was a monster from hell, even he had to sleep sometime. Henry was shocked the first few nights he had watched him snoozing. Bendy had a way of curling up like a sleeping dragon guarding a mountain of jewels, only Henry was the bundle of valuables in this scenario. 

Bendy had taken to using the human like a teddy bear. Every night when Bendy would deem himself ready for bed, he would grab Henry with both arms and carry him to bed. Bendy wouldn’t do anything more than sleep. Though at this point Henry wouldn’t be surprised if he had other more devious ideas floating around in that ink covered head. Bendy might’ve called him Dad. But Henry could tell that the ink demon at least somewhat lusted after him. The hungry look in his eyes was proof enough of that.

Henry found himself embraced by the sleeping monster, unable to move without risking waking Bendy up. Bendy got awfully suspicious whenever he felt Henry stir. Even when Henry wasn’t thinking about escaping, Bendy still believed he was trying to. And once Henry got in trouble, it would take a long while to calm Bendy down.

So, Henry did his best to lie as still as possible. He even tried to get to sleep. But being hugged by his captor every night made that a bit of a challenge. Usually it would take a few hours before sleep overcame insomnia. Henry couldn’t remember the last time he had a good night’s rest.

Bendy adjusted himself in his slumber. He tightened his grip around Henry’s chest. Uncomfortable, Henry scooted in an attempt to find a better position. This startled the ink demon awake.

Crap.

Immediately Henry felt Bendy’s hidden eyes on him.

“Where’re you going?” Bendy asked him like it wasn’t an interrogation. Henry knew full well that it was.

“Nowhere.”

“Now why don’t I believe that? You remember what happened last time I caught you trying to open that door?”

Henry wished he could forget.

“It’s the truth! I just turned a little. Couldn’t get comfortable.”

“Aw shucks, Dad,” Bendy was smiling now at least, “I wasn’t trying to accuse ya of anything.” That was an absolute lie. Bendy continued without noticing the scowl on Henry’s face, “But when you’re always trying to go off somewhere, how can I not be a little worried? If you’d stop trying to leave, I might even let you sleep by yerself.”

That….actually sounded tempting. Henry almost wanted to earn the ink demon’s trust just for that. Being single ever since his breakup with Linda, Henry never would’ve thought he would miss sleeping by himself. But now he’d jump at the chance for that kind of freedom again.

Bendy noticed the excited look on Henry’s face and frowned.

“But ya gotta prove to me that you can be trusted.”

“Please, Bendy. I was just trying to adjust myself. Can we just go back to sleep?”

Bendy snuggled up against him. His hug was tight without being crushing. The demon even pulled the blanket up in order to cover more of Henry.

“Goodnight. Dad.”

Frowning, Henry said, “Goodnight, Bendy.” Just like Bendy had trained him to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning on focusing most of Bendy's relationship with Henry as a father/son deal. Although in chapters like this, there will be hints of slash. But for the most part, I'm not planning on taking it very far. These drabbles are mostly going to focus on Bendy's obsession with Henry and Henry's need to escape.


	4. Chapter 4

Henry was going to go for it. He knew he was risking a lot. Bendy wouldn’t be back until the usual 2:45. Right now the Bendy clock chimed at noon. Still, Henry would have to be careful. Like Alice Angel once said, Bendy could hear everything. So he had to keep the volume level down.

The door keeping him trapped was made from solid steel. You had to turn it with a wheel-shaped knob in order to open it. Bendy always kept it firmly locked, seeing as how he could walk through walls, he never needed to open it. But Henry knew that passed this door lied hope of escape. He would have a chance to finally get out of this studio.

He just needed to be smart.

Bendy had a small ink machine inside the prison. Being the Ink Demon, Bendy could make just about anything from it. He made it look so easy, putting in sludge and coming up with paper, clothes and even furniture. All Henry could manage was a few gears and other basic shapes.

He had been going at this for hours. If there was one thing this studio didn’t lack, it was ink. Henry would put a bit of ink inside, turn the crank, and prayed something useful would come out. Bendy allowed him to use this machine. He was pretty confident that Henry wasn’t smart enough to figure it out himself.

Unfortunately for Bendy, Henry found himself getting the hang of it. Henry learned how to make soup on his own, although he shuddered to think that he had been eating ink this whole time. Ink in, three cranks to the right and two to the left. That always made soup. Henry found that four cranks to the right and one to the left gave him pencils. So far the most useful thing was a mallet, which took Henry about a hundred tries to get right.

Hours ticked by. 1:00. Then 2:00. Henry was pushing his luck at 2:30, but he pressed on. If he made something useful for escape and Bendy found out, Henry could always just say it had been an accident. The excuse probably wouldn’t work. But right now Henry was far too invested in his task to stop.

He kept on turning right over and over, until his knuckles hurt. It must’ve been about a thousand times before he pressed the button.

To his shock, a key popped out. Henry stared at it in wonder. He grabbed it, feeling cool steel on his fingers despite it coming from ink. He held it to the door, where a keyhole rested. It was a longshot. But could it be possible that this key would work on that?

The room suddenly turned dark, signaling Bendy’s return. Henry thrust the key in his pocket and prayed Bendy didn’t notice.

The ink demon paused to look at his surroundings. Piles of new stuff were everywhere, littering the floor, bundling on the couch, and resting on shelves. Bendy stood in silence and Henry knew he was looking for any incriminating evidence.

Finally satisfied, Bendy smiled at him.

“Guess you’re trying to learn how to use it, eh Dad?”

“You let me.”

“I know I did,” Bendy shrugged his shoulders, “Just making an observation, is all. You’ve been busy. Make anything super interesting?”

Henry felt the key burning in his pocket. He did his best to act natural. 

“Just that mallet.”

“Henry,” at the use of his first name, Bendy had Henry’s full attention. The demon looked at him sternly, “You need to tell me if you got something you shouldn’t have.”

Why would he let him use it in the first place if he was worried? Did Bendy really have so little faith in Henry’s abilities to figure things out on his own? Henry felt his resolve strengthening. He looked Bendy face to face and lied like a pro.

“Everything I made is out in the open. If you want to look around, you’ll see I don’t have anything you wouldn’t want me to have.”


	5. Chapter 5

Henry waited for the next day to come around. The next time Bendy would leave for his quote on quote “daily rounds.” It was the only time he had a chance.

Bendy remained suspicious of his intentions. But he never thought to look inside Henry’s pockets. Henry made sure to keep the key safely hidden until the morning, when Bendy walked through the door. The animator sucked in a deep breath as he looked at the door. The moment of truth.

Henry took the key and gripped it tightly in his sweaty palm. Licking his lips, heart hammering away, Henry reached for the keyhole. It fit with ease.

He turned it.

But it didn’t budge. Henry groaned, wondering why he was so surprised. Of course, it had been a long shot.

Suddenly, the key began to melt. Before Henry could grasp what had happened, ink coated his fingers. The key changed back into its original substance. Henry looked at his black stained fingers. He didn’t have time to question it. A hand on his shoulder spun him around and Henry was met with Bendy’s disapproving frown.

Henry’s heart stopped. He thought Bendy had left already.

“What are you doing, Dad?” Bendy asked. There was an edge to his tone, one that demanded the truth. But still Henry lied in order to save himself.

“I was….” He went with the first excuse he could come up with, “I saw a spider on the door. I wanted to squash it.”

A growl came from Bendy’s throat. He towered over Henry with his incredible height, coming way too close for comfort.

“I saw what you were doing.”

Henry said nothing. There was nothing he could say in his defense. 

Bendy said, “I was really hoping you’d do the right thing. You were supposed to give the key to me. I wouldn’t have been angry at all if you’d done that.”

“What do you mean I was supposed to?” a horrifying realization was sinking in, but Henry had to hear Bendy confess it himself in order to believe it.

“Don’t you get it yet? I was testing you. The key was never going to work. I was going to use the ink machine to see if you would stop trying to escape. But unfortunately, you didn’t do what you were supposed to. Now you need to be punished.”

Henry’s mind went through a terrible flashback of last time. Images of black ran through his head, causing his mouth to run dry at the thought of it all happening again. He pressed his back up against the door as Bendy took a step forward. For once Bendy didn’t look angry or sadistic, just sad. As if the Ink Demon had no choice but to do this.

“Please. Not again! I’m sorry. I won’t ever try to escape again!”

“I wish I could believe that, Dad. But you just can’t be trusted yet. And I can’t let you outta my sight until you can.”

“Then don’t. But don’t put me into that ink bath again. Please.”

Bendy grabbed him by the shoulder. Henry tried to pull away, but it was like Bendy was made of iron. His struggles did nothing as Bendy took him to the other room. Even with his crying pleads, Henry could hear Bendy’s calm voice.

“I’m sorry about this, Dad. But it will be over before you know it. Promise.”


	6. Chapter 6

The room was accessible at any time, although it was one part of the prison that Henry chose not to venture into. A puddle of especially thick ink rested in the middle. Looking at it nearly made Henry’s heart stop.

He gave the monster a pleading look. But Bendy didn’t fall for it. The monster lifted Henry off his feet as easily as if he was a puppy. The nearing inevitable set Henry off. He began kicking and screaming with a barrage of “please, don’t do this!” and “I’ll never forgive you!”

Henry fell silent as soon as he was ducked inside the liquid. Like his last punishment, the ink stuck to every inch of him it touched. As it did so, it began crawling further up his skin, infecting him with pain. Henry couldn’t make a sound. All he could do was stare at Bendy while the monster watched his torment.

It was like the ink was eating him alive. The pain burned him through the bone. It was too intense for him to do anything but stand still quietly. 

Bendy looked at him sadly, but Henry wasn’t fooled. If Bendy really cared about him, he wouldn’t have done this in the first place. 

The torture only lasted a few minutes. Bendy pulled Henry out of the pit and cradled him in his arms. The sticky ink yanked off his skin, giving Henry some much-needed relief from his agony. Henry trembled in Bendy’s arms. The aftershocks of his punishments would last for quite some time.

“It’s okay now, Dad. I’m sorry. I wish I didn’t have to do that. But I’ll keep on doing it every time you try to escape.”

It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise. Henry shuddered as all thoughts of escape left him.

At least. For now.

Bendy placed Henry on his favorite armchair. It had become a spot that Henry would relax in during the long hours of captivity. Henry sank into the seat, trying his best to get comfortable with Bendy standing in front of him.

“Are you going to do your ‘rounds?’” Henry spat sarcastically.

Bendy paused, “Not today. You need company right now. You’ve been through a lot.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“Yours,” Bendy’s tone was stern, “It was your actions that got you into trouble, not mine.”

Henry glared but said nothing. He looked away from his captor and stared at the floor. Bendy sighed.

“Look, Dad. I’m not your enemy.”

“Then let me go. If you really cared, you’ll let me go.”

Bendy shook his head, “It’s because I care about you that I won’t. Joey has told me all about your world. It’s a terrible place, isn’t it? I would die before I let you back out there.”

“You believe Joey? I thought you hated him!”

“You can’t fool a devil, Dad. If he was lying, I would know it.”

Henry didn’t believe him. But arguing with Bendy was a useless endeavor, so he kept his mouth shut. Bendy got on his knees and nuzzled Henry’s head as if he was a giant cat. The ink demon gave a soft smile.

“So I’m going to keep you here forever. You’ll be nice and safe here. Now don’t try to run off anymore. Or else I might have to start chaining you to the bed when I leave. And I really don’t want to do that. You’ll behave from now on….right?”


	7. Chapter 7

Boris and Tom were two different people. While Tom was a real man made to look like the cartoon character, Boris was toon inside and out. He had the same cheerful demeanor that Henry portrayed him to have 30 years ago. He treated Bendy like an old friend. And he took pleasure in the simplest of things.

Right now, Boris was having the time of his life cooking soup in a giant pot. He whistled the tune of Bendy’s theme song while stirring the brew. Henry sat at the table, patiently waiting. Bendy was out.

“Don’t you ever get tired of it?” Henry didn’t know if he was asking about the soup or life in general.

Boris thought for a moment. It seemed he had a better understanding of Henry’s question than even Henry himself, “Not really. Then again, I don’t get bored very easily, Henry.”

There was a short moment of silence. Although Boris’s back was turned, Henry could feel his eyes on him.

“I heard about the key.”

Henry stilled and said nothing.

“I know it’s not any of my business, but I don’t think Bendy should be testing you like that.”

“Thank you,” Henry meant it. In a situation like this, it was always good whenever someone sided with you.

“Still…why do you want to leave so badly?”

Henry groaned, “Are you kidding me? I’m a prisoner! No one wants to be a prisoner.”

“So…if you weren’t a prisoner, you’d stay?”

Henry didn’t have an answer to that. Boris poured some soup into a few bowls and carried them to the table. Sitting across from Henry, Boris took an appreciative bite. Meanwhile, Henry just stared at his serving, unsure if he was even hungry.

“Plus, there’s nothing to do except draw. And look….Boris. I like you a lot. And I like your food a lot. But this…..this….” Henry motioned toward the soup with his spoon. His calm was quickly slipping, “I’m going nuts on eating this for every fucking meal! I want something else. Anything else! But Bendy won’t compromise on anything! He told me he could leave the studio if he wanted to. I tried getting him to get me food from outside. I threw money at him and told him to get me anything else. He could sneak in the building, leave the money and sneak out. He wouldn’t have to be seen by anyone. You know what he said to me?”

Boris shook his head. He listened with all the patience of a parent listening to a toddler’s tantrum.

“He said that he only wanted me to eat this soup. Because it’s the only food with his brand on it. How egotistical can you get?! He’s nuts, Boris! And it just proves that I can’t win an argument on anything, no matter how small it is. Since day one it’s been: Bendy 100, Henry 0. And that just makes this hell hole worse!”

It felt good getting it off his chest. Boris was here to keep an eye on Henry and make sure he didn’t escape. Boris was really on Bendy’s side. And yet the fact that he was willing to listen (unlike Bendy) made him easy to talk to.

Henry sat in his misery. Boris said, “I agree with Bendy that the outside world is no place for you,” Henry frowned. Boris continued, “But I think he’s going a little too far. Tell you what. You give me your money and I’ll see what I can find. I don’t go outside very much, but I know how to sneak around without people noticing. I’ll get you something good.”

Henry stared at him. It felt like he had just found an oasis in the middle of a hot desert.

“You’d really do that for me?”

“Sure, pal. What Bendy doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

Henry managed to produce his first genuine smile since his imprisonment.

Bendy 100. Henry 1.


	8. Chapter 8

There was a reason he used to be called the Dancing Demon. It seemed that every cartoon mascot had their own little quirks that made them unique. Winnie the Pooh would tap his forehead and mutter to himself “think, think, think.” Bugs Bunny would kiss his enemies smack on the lips as a way to taunt them. And Bendy….Bendy would dance. Even if there was no music, he would dance.

It was like instinct. Something would set Bendy in motion, then his legs would spin and twirl. He would be lost in his own little world, dancing away.

Henry had become his unwilling dance partner this past few days. Every once in a while, Bendy would get the urge, grab Henry’s shoulders, and force him to dance. Bendy always led and Henry followed, rather not risking his wrath. Henry would try to play music in his head just to make the situation a little less awkward. 

Bendy’s smile would be wide. He had his prize dancing partner right where he wanted him. Trapped in the studio. A perfect little hell for the demon. Henry would rest in his favorite chair after it was all done. And Bendy would sit on the floor right in front of him. He would always have the refreshed smile on his smug face.

“You’re getting better, Dad. I can’t wait to show you some real fun moves.”

Henry just sighed. There was no point telling Bendy he didn’t want to learn how to dance. Bendy didn’t notice Henry’s disgruntlement.

“I’ll try to get more music in here. That will really lift your spirits up, old man. You’ve been moping around all these time…it ain’t good for you. Nothing makes you feel better than moving to the beat.”

How could this monster speak and act just like normal Bendy? Every time he spoke, Henry imagined the small, cute version of him talking. But then when he looked, he saw a tall, skeletal ink devil that would give any child nightmares. He acted so much like the cartoonish Bendy…

…at least when he was happy. When he was angry, then he acted like the monster he appeared. He would growl and break things. Henry had seen it first-hand. It had been a while since Bendy’s last outburst, probably because Henry hadn’t tried to escape for a few days. But Henry was constantly bracing himself for the next time it would happen.

Bendy was dangerous. The longer Henry stayed here, the more danger he was in. Dancing could only keep the demon happy for so long.

Because in reality, Bendy was no longer the Dancing Demon. He was a shell of his former self, a shell that could cause great destruction.

“Dad? You’re spacing out on me.”

“Sorry, Bendy. I have a lot to think about. It’s not like there’s much else to do aside from think.”

Bendy frowned, “I’ll get you something to do. I’ll make a vinyl for you to practice. We’ll be the best dancing duo around. Creator and demon, dancing the night away…..It sounds nice.”

Once again, Henry had nothing to say.


	9. Chapter 9

After sneaking him a few candy bars, Boris became Henry’s best friend. Henry looked forward to when Bendy would leave because it meant spending some alone time with his friend. He didn’t blame Boris for anything. After all, Boris wasn’t the one who was holding him against his will. And it made sense that he would be too scared of Bendy to openly defy him.

Right now, his friendship was enough.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to the end. Seeing their bond made Bendy moody. He would frown whenever he came into the room to find the two laughing. Henry had the sneaking suspicion that he was jealous. The day came when Bendy was about to leave and he opened the door to let someone in. Someone who wasn’t Boris.

Actually, it was three people: the Butcher Gang. Charlie, the leader, looked up at Bendy with fear evident in his eyes. Seeing the main antagonist afraid of the hero felt strange to Henry. It was like someone had written a fanscript of Bendy and got the characters’ personalities all wrong.

Charlie spoke tentatively, “Hey, boss. I know you got yer reasons. But….eh. Mind telling me why we’re babysitting a grown man?”

Henry shot Bendy an accusing look, “What happened to Boris?”

“Because I said so, that’s why,” Bendy answered Charlie’s question, while completely ignoring Henry, “I better not see a hair on his head that’s outta place. If he’s hurt or he escapes, there’ll be nowhere on earth I won’t find you.”

The growl worked like a charm. Charlie, Barley and Edgar gulped in unison. Their throats bobbed down as if they were actually in a cartoon. 

“Answer me, Bendy! Why isn’t Boris here?”

Bendy frowned, “That’s none o’ your business, Dad.”

Barley whispered to Edgar loud enough for Henry to hear.

“Why’s he calling him Dad? Are we being filmed?”

It was embarrassing to say the least. Henry already hated being Bendy’s father without people knowing. Humiliated and angry, Henry stepped in front of Bendy, blocking his normal path outside.

“Tell me now.”

“Get out of the way,” Bendy growled threateningly. 

“Not until you tell me where the hell he is.”

The Butcher Gang sank into the background, terrified. Henry and Bendy had a stare down.

“I already told you, Dad. None of your business.”

“It is my business! He’s my friend.”

“He’s MY best friend. And you’re MY dad! And you two are getting a little too chummy for my liking.”

It suddenly clicked. Bendy’s jealousy had led to him firing Boris from guard duty. The damn ink demon couldn’t stand it when he wasn’t the center of attention. He was jealous of both Boris and Henry.

Henry threw a punch Bendy’s way. It stuck to his chest. Bendy clearly didn’t even feel it, but he frowned at the attempt.

“You’re acting like a kid, Dad. This is why I need people to look after ya.”

“I’M ACTING LIKE A KID?”

Henry tried to laugh at this, but it just came out as an angry groan. Bendy grabbed his arms and pushed him away.

“We’ll talk later. I have to go now. Don’t do anything stupid.”

With that, Bendy left.


	10. Chapter 10

Charley and Barley sat at the kitchen table, while Henry took the seat at his drawing desk. Henry could barely stand up without them eyeing his every move. And even when he was sitting down, he could feel their cartoonish eyes boring on his back. He did his best to ignore it.

 

A loud bang made him jump. Edgar had run into the room after being sent on an expedition for the Butcher Gang’s amusement. But the way he ran inside was strange. He threw open the door without having to turn the wheel handle, a cloud of smoke followed his feet, and he even forgot to close the door. Charley was quick to remedy his mistake. He took one look at Henry and threw the door closed. It locked automatically. Charley slapped the spider over the head.

 

“You could’ve gotten us into a lotta trouble, fat-head!”

 

“Ouch! Hey, he’s still here. So, what’s da problem?”

 

Barley came up with he saw the comics in several of Edgar’s hands.

 

“Forget it, guys. What you get, Edgar?”

 

“I stole this from Joe’s old room. Look!”

 

The three huddled around. Their appreciative sounds gave Henry a clue as to what was on those magazines. He didn’t really care however. His mind was still on the door, as an idea formed inside his head.

 

Even if they were now alive, the Butcher Gang was still a bunch of cartoons. And Henry knew enough about cartoons to get inside their minds. He might be able to trick them. After Boris had been fired, Henry found his need to escape returning. He looked over at them, debating on what to say to get their attention.

 

“Is that all?” he asked.

 

Bingo. The Butcher Gang all turned their heads to the human they were suppose to be watching.

 

Barley growled, “What are you talking about?”

 

“I thought you guys could do better than steal things that are already inside the studio. Boris goes and gets candy bars from the outside world all the time.”

 

“That goody-two-shoes is stealing?” Edgar exclaimed. Henry didn’t bother to correct him. They didn’t need to know that Boris was using his money to pay for everything he took.

 

“I’m just saying that there’s a ton more magazines like that outside. And real cigars and liquor too. Believe me. They taste better than anything made from ink.”

 

He was happy to see the effect of his words. The Butcher Gang was obviously interested in what they were hearing. Barley got out of his chair.

 

“Really? I gotta see this. You two stay and watch flesh and blood here.”

 

“Wait. Why do you get to go?” Edgar frowned.

 

“Cuz you already got to go out.”

 

“I’m the leader,” Charley pipped in, “So I’ll go.”

 

The three stared at each other, then looked at the door in unison.

 

With a loud **bang!** They all ran out in unison. Clouds from their feet filled Henry’s vision. He had to blink the cartoonish smog away. And when it dissipated, Henry saw that his plan had work.

 

They were gone. And they had foolishly left the door wide open.


	11. Chapter 11

After being cooped up in a small room for so long, it took Henry some time for his mind to register that he was finally free. He had spent about half an hour wandering the large hallways, watching out for any sign that Bendy might be coming. As he relaxed, his mind focused less on his captor and more of finding an exit.

 

The place looked like his old workshop, if it had somehow been stretched out to the size of a mansion. Henry knew there was only one way that this could be. This part of the studio had to be underground. That was why Henry hadn’t seen how big it actually was before he entered the building. It also made sense when he considered that he had fallen through the floor before, as well as gone down on an escalator.

 

Which meant that in order to escape, he needed to go up.

 

But it was easy to get turned around here. Henry swore he had seen that same Bendy clock at least three times now. He released the tension in his grip as he had been clutching onto his mallet so tightly that his palms were becoming sweaty. So far there weren’t any monsters, but they would surely show up. It would be a mistake to have the weapon slip from his fingers while he was trying to protect himself.

 

As Henry pondered his next move, the walls suddenly turned black. Henry’s heart leaped to his throat and he dashed behind a countertop. He didn’t dare look up when he heard those familiar footsteps slumping through the hall.

 

“Heeenry!” Bendy’s voice was full of anger and hurt. Henry prayed that the Ink Demon had no idea where he was, “Heeenry!”

 

The human clutched his chest as if to silence his beating heart. Slowly, the walls returned to their normal color and all was silent.

 

Was this a trick? Was Bendy still there, waiting for Henry to show himself?

 

After a bit of silence, Henry dared to risk it. He stood up and looked.

 

Nothing. Henry breathed out a sigh of relief. He stepped into another room, catching sight of an elevator at the end of a long hallway. His hopes soared. Before he knew it, he was sprinting toward it.

 

Black erupted just in front of him. Henry braced himself for the upcoming danger. The ink fiends were dangerous in you were careless. Henry kept his distance. If any creature got too close, he struck them over the head with his mallet. Splatters of ink flew everywhere and covered him as he took them down. As soon as he got rid of one, another sprouted up. Just when Henry was wondering if there was an end to them, the walls turned black once more.

 

“Henry!”

 

Cold claws grabbed Henry from behind. Bendy pulled him to his chest as if he was a scared toddler seeking comfort from his teddy bear. The ink figures slumped away in fear of Bendy.

 

Henry thrashed.

 

“Put me down!”

 

“Stop fighting me, Dad,” they were back to ‘dad’ now, “When we get back home, you’re going to get a good long lesson on how to behave. I should’ve never left you out of my sight. You’ve gone too far this time.”

 

“I had to leave! You’re keeping me prisoner here.”

 

“And you’re gonna stay a prisoner. And news flash, dad. Prisoners are not supposed to escape. You’re getting a long bath for this one.”

 

Henry fell silent as fear crept into his heart.


	12. Chapter 12

Getting out of Bendy’s grasp was like a newborn baby trying to get out of their parents’. After a while, Henry stopped struggling, realizing the inevitable was coming. He looked around, trying to enjoy his last moments of freedom before he was back in that damn room.

 

And once they arrived….Henry tried not to think about it.

 

“Dad,” Bendy’s voice was stern, “Believe it or not, I don’t want you to think of me as your enemy.”

 

“You’re holding me hostage. What else am I supposed to think of you as?”

 

“Your son.”

 

Henry couldn’t prevent himself from groaning. He was only mildly concerned at the frown Bendy gave him. After all, he was going to be punished anyway. There was no point walking on eggshells now.

 

Henry said, “You know I’m not actually your dad. So why—”

 

“—Ain’t ya my creator?”

 

“Yes. But—”

 

“—And ain’t ya male?”

 

Henry crossed his arms at this. Bendy was clearly talking down to him. Bendy matched his glare with a snarl, a subtle warning that Henry was in enough trouble already.

 

“Then that makes you my dad. There’s nothing else to it.”

 

Before Henry could make a counter point, a disembodied voice came from above them.

 

“I see your ‘dad’ was just trying to abandon you. Is poor baby Bendy going to cry when they get home?”

 

Alice Angel. Bendy stopped right in his tracks. He looked up and bared his teeth like fangs.

 

“Who asked you? You fucking waste of ink!”

 

“Oh? Did I touch a nerve? Poor baby.”

 

In Bendy’s anger he started gripping onto Henry very tightly. His claws dug into Henry’s skin, causing the human to wince in pain.

 

“Why don’t you come over here and saw that to my face?”

 

“No, thanks. So Henry,” she was speaking to him now, “Is Bendy treating you well? I bet if I had kidnapped you, you wouldn’t want to leave. I have the prettier face after all. Plus he’s a lot more dangerous.”

 

“Don’t talk to him!” the claws were really starting to hurt.

 

“Bendy—” but Henry was caught off by Alice’s retort.

 

“I also have access to the Ink Machine. The real one.”

 

“You lie!” Bendy growled.

 

“Bendy—”

 

But Bendy continued, “For someone like you to find it, when we all couldn’t. I knew you were a little who---”

 

“Bendy! I’m bleeding.”

 

The sound of Henry’s pain seemed enough to snap Bendy out of it. The monster inspected the damage he caused and eased his grip. Henry did his best to look at his upper arms with Bendy still holding him in place. Red at first, then blood started to pool at the open pores.

 

“You see? You are a danger to him.”

 

This time Bendy didn’t have a response. Maybe he was worried of accidentally hurting the animator again.

 

‘If that’s the case,’ thought Henry, ‘Then he doesn’t need to be dunking me in that bath later. Which I know he’s going to do.’

 

Bendy started walking again. He didn’t stop until they arrived at their destination, dashing Henry’s hopes for escape this time around.


	13. Chapter 13

When Henry woke up, he couldn’t remember where he was. His head felt like wet cotton, thoughts swam and blurred together with no real cohesion. He just lied there in a blissful silence, then his eyes widened as soon as his memory returned to him. The last thing he had been doing was screaming in that ink bath. It had gone on for a lot longer than normal. And Bendy hadn’t looked sad that time. As a matter of fact, the ink demon had to hold him down because Henry wouldn’t stop trying to escape his punishment, and he had looked infuriated while he did so.

 

Henry…must’ve passed out during his torment.

 

He raised himself a little bit, until he was in sitting position. That was when he noticed the chain attached to his leg. The other end latched onto the foot of the bed. As Henry sat up, a wave of nausea hit him like a punch to the gut. He resisted the urge to lie his head back down. It appeared Bendy took off his shirt sometime while he had been unconscious, allowing Henry to see the bandages strapped around his arm.

 

“I’m glad you’re awake, Dad,” Bendy entered the room. Henry wondered if he had been watching from afar this whole time. In one claw Bendy held a bowl of soup. Although Henry’s stomach rumbled in hunger, it also twisted in disgust. He made a face, causing Bendy to frown, “Ya gotta eat. You’ve been out a real long time. Almost a day even.”

 

“I’ve been asleep that long?” Henry rubbed his temple. It didn’t feel like any time had passed. How did he lose track of a day in a blink of an eye?

 

Bendy nodded, “You were mumbling weird gibberish while you were asleep. I thought something had possessed ya.”

 

A demon worrying about a demon. That was the first time Henry had seen that. He pushed himself a little more, intending to get out of the bed completely. However, a sharp pang made him groan and slink back down into the cushions.

 

Bendy frowned when he saw his creator in pain. The ink monster decided to come closer, as opposed to having Henry walk to him. He sat down besides where Henry laid, then brought a spoonful of soup to the human’s lips.

 

For the first time in a long while, Henry wanted the soup. Once he was close enough to smell it, something in him stirred. The disgust had quickly shifted to an undying hunger. He ate it eagerly. His zeal brought Bendy out of his solemn mood. The ink demon smiled once he finished the food. Henry had no idea why, but the soup tasted more delicious than ever before.

 

“Thanks, Dad. I should’ve known that dumb-ass Butcher Gang aren’t capable of keeping you safe. Really, I’m the only one who can do that job.”

 

Henry felt his stomach drop, “I thought you needed to do your rounds?”

 

“I do. And I’m gonna keep doing them like always.”

 

“But….how?”

 

“Oh, don’t worry, Dad,” the smiler grew wider and more sinister, “I ain’t much of a devil if I don’t have a few tricks up my sleeve.”


	14. Chapter 14

It turned out the big trick Bendy was talking about was simply chaining Henry to the bed while he did his rounds. The human tried to get comfortable, but the metal strapped around his ankle made that hard. Another problem was the excessive itching that lingered right on the small of his back. It was in that one place that was impossible to reach with only his arms. He tried to ignore it, but that proved useless.

 

Some sort of movement caught his eye. He glanced at the Bendy clock above him, yet nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Had it just been his imagination? Maybe the shadows had shifted above him and he mistook it for something moving?

 

He stared at it for a few seconds. Soon however, the itching ripped his attention away from it. He reached for his back. But it was impossible with normal human arms. He gritted his teeth in frustration. It was driving him nuts. If he could just reach it….

 

He imagined that his arms were long enough to do it. Suddenly, either by a stroke of luck or miracle, he reached the spot. Sighing in relief, he scratched the itch. Once he was finished, he looked at one arm, then the other. Was he imagining things again? One looked slightly longer than the other. But he wasn’t sure. And the more he looked, the more his arm looked it’s normal length. He finally pressed his elbows together, trying to compare his arms. They were normal.

 

He shook his head. What was wrong with him?

 

The walls turned to ink right as the clock struck 2:45. Bendy trudged out of the wall with a key in his hand. Smiling when he saw his creator, the Ink Demon used the key to release Henry from his chains. Henry hopped out of bed as soon as he was able. It felt good to stretch after being stuck in one place for so long.

 

Bendy put a hand over his shoulder, then leaned closer to his face.

 

“So…what are we going to do now, Dad?”

 

“I’m going to draw.”

 

Bendy’s smile grew even wider, “I was hoping you’d say that. Cause I got a few requests.”

 

“Huh?” Henry narrowed his eyes. That statement was certainly unexpected.

 

They walked out of the room to the living area, where Henry’s desk sat. The animator took a seat, grabbed a fresh sheet of paper and pencil, and hesitated. Bendy followed right behind him. He stood just centimeters away from where Henry sat.

 

“It’s not like you have anything else to do,” Bendy shrugged.

 

“I guess. What do you want me to draw anyway?”

 

Not that he wanted to make Bendy happy, but he was very curious to hear what Bendy wanted. Whatever Bendy said might reveal something about his character that Henry had never seen before.

 

“I want you to draw me…”

 

Huh. Or not.

 

“And you…”

 

What?

 

“Hugging each other.”

 

That produced a frown from Henry. The last thing he wanted to do was portray his relationship with the devil as a friendly one. Bendy was nothing more than a monster now. Once he attacked and kidnapped him, Henry lost all respect for his creation.

 

But…on the other hand. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage?

 

Henry put the pencil against the paper, but didn’t start drawing immediately. He glanced up at Bendy.

 

“What do I get out of it?”

 

Bendy’s smile fell, “What do you want, Dad?”

 

“A hamburger. From the outside world.”

 

There was that growling noise again. Henry quickly stated his case.

 

“Bendy. Look. The way I see it, this can go one of two ways. You agree to give me this one thing, this one small thing, and I give you what you want. Or. You force me to draw for you, and I’ll continue to hate you. The Henry I draw would never exist. He would never be happy to hug you. But if you let me have a few things I want every once and a while,” he paused. He had to make sure this horrid lie sounded convincing, “We could be friends.”

 

Bendy seemed to be searching his eyes for something. Maybe he was going to call his bluff? Henry did his best to keep a straight face as the devil examined him.

 

“Hmm….Alright.”

 

Henry raised his eyebrows.

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah, dad. I don’t like it. I really wish you’d be satisfied with just my food. But…you’re right. I haven’t been giving you much to work with. Maybe if I start…you’ll stop trying to escape?”

 

Henry said nothing to that.


	15. Chapter 15

Drawing wasn’t nearly as fun when you had someone dictating you did. Henry felt like he was working at Joey Drew’s studios all over again.

 

“—And I want you to have an apron that says ‘Father Knows Best.’ And have me just about to put the cookies in the oven. Hm. I guess you’ll need to draw me with oven mitts too.”

 

As if that weren’t bad enough, the longer Henry scribbled on the page, the more his arms hurt. It wasn’t a drawing cramp. No, this pain burned like nothing he had ever felt before, traveling through his arms as if his veins were pumping hot blood.

 

From behind him, Henry could hear the frown in Bendy’s voice, “You alright, dad? Your drawing skills are kinda…off today.”

 

Only after he said that did Henry noticed that Bendy was right. The lines of his drawings looked like they had been produced by a shaky hand. He glanced at his arms, realizing they were, indeed, shaking.

 

“Damn. My arms hurt,” he turned to Bendy, “I need a break. I think when you threw me into that ink bath, some ink got into my bloodstream. It feels like my arms are about to explode.”

 

Even without his eyes being visible, Henry could see the regret on Bendy’s face. The regret only lasted a couple of seconds, before a scowl replaced it. Bendy’s voice turned to ice.

 

“It’s not my fault. You did it to yourself when you decided to run from the Butcher Gang.”

 

Henry said nothing. A thought suddenly struck him. What did Bendy even do to those dumb cartoons? Although Henry was no longer a Butcher Gang fan (he used to like them. Before they were alive and a threat), that didn’t mean he wanted them hurt.

 

“What did you do to them anyway?” he knew Bendy must’ve done something. Retaliation was the demon’s middle name.

 

“They’re dealt with.”

 

“But what did you do?”

 

“Henry,” warned Bendy, “If you cared about them so much, you wouldn’t have gotten them into trouble in da first place.”

 

There was no use in getting any details out of Bendy. Henry remembered that cartoons couldn’t die. A two-ton anvil could drop on top of their heads, and they would have no reaction but to brush it off.

 

That meant that no matter what Bendy did, the Butcher Gang would be alright. The feeling of guilt left Henry’s chest.

 

He stood up and made his way to the kitchen station. Bendy followed so closely that he bumped into Henry once. He watched as Henry grabbed a can from the cupboard. The human poured the contents into the pot, then set the stove on high. It glowed red almost immediately.

 

“I want soup too,” Bendy was using his mocked child voice again.

 

“Why would I make any for you?”

 

“Because you’re my dad. You should take care of me once in a while, like I take care of you,” Bendy was met with a chilling silence, causing the Ink Demon to frown, “I gave you your hamburger. And I’ll keep giving you more. But if you insist that I work with ya, you gotta work with me too.”

 

The promise of more hamburgers didn’t have the effect on Henry that he thought it would have. Henry felt sick to his stomach. He thought about the time when Bendy had delivered what he promised. The sandwich had been from McDonald’s and had looked perfectly fine. But for some reason, Henry had struggled to eat it all. Maybe he had grown sick from all the ink he had eaten previous, and real food had made him ill. That was his best explanation for it.

 

Henry would never admit it, but he had grown to prefer the bacon soup.

 

Still, despite Bendy’s words having no impact, Henry didn’t feel like arguing any further. He took another can of soup in his hand.

 

“Fine.”

 

“Let me help you.”

 

Bendy’s claw gripped at the can Henry was holding. Seeing the inky beast grab him by the hand made Henry react out of terror. His fight or flight response kicked in. He tore his hand away and placed it on the counter behind him without looking at it, his glaring eyes too focused on Bendy.

 

“Don’t do that.”

 

“I just wanted to help, dad.”

 

“I don’t need your help,” Henry’s anger overshadowed the fear he usually felt in Bendy’s presence, “No matter how long you keep me here, I’ll never be your dad. Even if I’m trapped here until the day I die.”

 

He had never seen a more hurt look on Bendy’s face. Henry couldn’t tell whether he was remorseful or satisfied.

 

A smell wafted through Henry’s nose. Was that….burning flesh? He looked at his hand behind him. He had accidentally slammed his palm right on top of the stove, and now steam came from it.

 

And it was only after he looked, did he feel the pain of the burn. He cried out. Then he ran to the bathroom and turned the faucet on. Ink poured out, as he eagerly dipped his hand underneath it. The result was immediate. Almost too immediate. No third-degree burn felt better as soon as you doused it. But in this instance, it did.

 

Henry stared at his hand. It looked normal, no sign of any wounds at all. He turned back to notice Bendy staring at him, giving him the strangest look.


	16. Chapter 16

There had been a change in Bendy’s pattern recently. He left for his rounds earlier, and came back a lot later. Soon Henry was spending almost the whole day by himself. When Henry complained about bathroom breaks, the demon did something unexpected.

 

“Okay, dad. I guess you don’t have to be tied up anymore.”

 

Henry was shocked, “I thought you didn’t trust me.”

 

“I know you won’t leave. Even if ya want  to.”

 

Henry frowned. He decided to ask something that had been on his mind for a while, “Why is it taking you longer to do your rounds?”

 

“I’m not just doing rounds anymore, dad. Now I’m talking to Alice.”

 

“Alice?! I thought you hated her.”

 

“You’re right about that. But let’s just say….eh….we’re slowly coming to an agreement.”

 

No matter how much Henry pressed, Bendy wouldn’t answer his question. Eventually, Henry gave up when he noticed that the demon was getting agitated.

 

It was currently 3:15, based on the clock on the wall. Henry had finished drawing his 15th sketch of Mickey Mouse. What Bendy didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him, right? After the artist safely tucked his secret work away, he stretched his arms. Maybe he should eat. He had skipped breakfast and lunch. Now he was getting a little hungry.

 

But when he reached the kitchen, something made him pause. There, on the table, was a chocolate bar, the same kind that Boris used to give him. Stunned, Henry grabbed it. After close inspection, he realized that it was legit.

 

Henry looked around the room.

 

“Boris?” he asked. Was his friend watching him from somewhere, “Boris, are you there?”

 

Silence. If Boris really was nearby, he wasn’t going to come out of hiding. Henry turned his attention on the candy. He frowned at it. The sight used to make his mouth water. Now, however….

 

He shook his head. Why was he thinking of not eating it? This had been exactly what he had been craving for a long time. He needed real food. The fact that he was starting to prefer soup made from ink scared him.

 

He needed to eat it. And he needed to enjoy it.

 

Henry tore the wrapper and bit into it. Just like the hamburgers, Henry gagged as soon as he tasted real food. He could only finish half before he had to stop. The man choked, baffled at his own reaction. Was Boris watching? Was he hurt that Henry had clearly not enjoyed his gift?

 

Henry decided that he needed to explain himself, on the off chance the toon was listening.

 

“Boris. Thank you. But….I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Nothing was wrong with the candy bar, honest. I’m glad you’re still around. If you’re listening, please know that you’re my only friend in this hellhole.”

 

Still nothing but silence. Henry looked at the candy and threw it across the floor. He was so angry with himself. The itch, the fire, and now the food. Something was happening to him. And he didn’t like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading so far
> 
> https://twitter.com/supremegreendr1


	17. Chapter 17

When Henry woke up that morning, Bendy had already left. This didn’t surprise him. The ink demon had been going out for longer periods of time. It was only natural that this would be an outcome. Bendy would likely be gone the entire day and only come back to sleep.

 

Henry could only hope. A whole day by himself sounded glorious.

 

Well, what was he going to do now? It seemed like the only thing he could do to pass the time was draw or use the mini ink machine. As the animator walked to the main room, he came to a dead stop.

 

The large door leading to the exit was now wide opened. Henry’s feet almost ran out without him having conscious thought. But despite the urge to do so, he refrained. Henry remembered the key and wondered if this was another test.

 

He wanted to slap himself. Of course this was a test. This setup was way too obvious. Bendy must be watching from afar, waiting for him to prove himself trustworthy.

 

If he passed the test, maybe Bendy would let his guard down. It sounded like a good idea to Henry. The man walked over to the door, then pulled it closed. He heard the lock automatically click back into place, once again trapping him inside. Henry yearned to be free. He wanted feel fresh air again, enjoy some Starbucks coffee, have a nap in his own bed, and talk to other normal human beings.

 

Soon, he told himself. But he needed to be smart. Something told him that he only had one more chance to escape, so he needed to make sure everything was perfect for his final attempt.

 

Some time later, Henry had finished about a million doodles of Bendy and friends. He occasionally drew Donald Duck or Jerry from Tom & Jerry, which he would immediately hide from Bendy’s jealous eyes. But the bulk of his work, however, consisted of the innocent version of the demon.

 

He was drawing the eyes when someone yanked him out of his seat and spun him around like a ballerina. With a look of alarm, Henry gazed up at Bendy. The smile on the devil’s face told him he wasn’t in trouble. Before Henry could ask any questions, vintage music began playing. Bendy led Henry in a dance. He took one step forward and Henry followed for fear of tripping over. Bendy took a step back, and so did Henry. Henry grabbed onto both of Bendy’s shoulders which felt like solidified gel.

 

Finally, Henry recovered from his initial shock. He frowned, “You could’ve just asked me.”

 

“Sorry, dad. Guess I’m in a good mood. Wanted to surprise ya with a dance.”

 

It had no doubt been Henry passing his little ‘test’ that was making Bendy so cheerful.

 

Henry didn’t know how to feel about being the lady in the traditional dance. On the one hand it made sense, since Bendy was both taller and the better dancer. But on the other hand, Henry was old and a little bias when it came to things like this. In his schoolboy days, people would’ve found this an insult to manhood.

 

Bendy continued, “It’s been a while. Hope you still remember how to move to da beat, old man.”

 

He twirled Henry around once more. Henry waited until he got used to the number before starting a conversation with his captor.

 

“Are you still talking to Alice?”

 

Bendy’s smile turned sour. But that wasn’t enough to deter Henry from the topic. Feigning ignorance, the animator continued as if the discussion wasn’t so obviously unwelcomed.

 

“Are you going to tell me what you two have been talking about?”

 

“Dad. I already told you. That’s none o yer business.”

 

“I think it is.”

 

The dance came to a halt. Bendy gripped Henry tightly, as the animator squirmed to be released. The demon growled.

 

“Explain yourself.”

 

Taking in a deep breath, Henry showed no fear.

 

“You guys were fighting over me earlier. That’s why I think you’re talking about me now.”

 

“Not everything’s about you, pops,” Bendy’s voice was practically venom at this point.

 

“She also mentioned something about the Ink Machine. It really unsettled you. Are you two….planning on taking me to the Ink Machine?”

 

“Dad, stop talking.”

 

“No, I won’t,” Henry was beginning to shout now, “You guys are planning on doing something with me and I deserve to know what it is! For a devil, you sure are a coward, Bendy. Just own up to it and tell me what you’ve been talking about.”

 

“Stop!”

 

“I need to know!”

 

“I said stop!”

 

“And I said---”

 

Bendy released his hold on Henry. He grabbed the nearest chair and threw it over Henry’s head. It burst into pieces as soon as it hit the wall. Better it than him, thought Henry.

 

The demon went into full on rage mode. He grabbed anything he could find, just so he could throw it a second later. It had been a while since Henry had seen this violent of an outburst. He ducked for cover underneath his writing desk. Bendy grabbed said desk and threw it against the wall.

 

He stopped after that, panting heavily from his anger. He turned to where Henry had crouched down. A calm smile suddenly appeared on his face and Henry knew he was in danger.

 

“Well, dad. Since you didn’t stop when I told you, you’re getting another ink bath.”

 

Bendy grabbed Henry and proceeded to drag him while the animator kicked and screamed. The ink demon grabbed his legs, cutting them in the process, before dunking him in the bath. Henry could do nothing but let the torture be finished.


	18. Chapter 18

“I don’t know why you made me bring all those burgers if yer not gonna eat them. But hey! At least you’re starting to like real food.”

Henry said nothing in response to that, instead choosing to focus on his stirring. The meat-y scent was so potent that it seemed impossible the soup was made out of ink. To be honest, Henry was starting to hate the soup again. Maybe that meant he would go back to liking the fast food? He would have to remember to ask Bendy for another hamburger so he could check.

Bendy moved out of the corner of his eye. Before Henry knew it, the Ink Demon stood right in front of him. Henry had to back away in order not to bump into him, but he tripped over Bendy’s long devil tail. Henry and the pot he was holding went falling. The contents fell on his hand and he cried out in pain. It had been a few days since his last burning incident, but he didn’t remember the pain being this intense. 

“What the fuck! What’s your problem? Dammit….” The grumbling human got back on his feet. Bendy stood over him and watched with an unreadable expression. Suddenly, he grabbed Henry, yanking him to his feet.

Bendy growled, “You spilled your soup and then cuss yer own son out? You need an attitude adjustment.” He grabbed Henry’s wrist and began dragging him away.

“What are you doing?!” Henry recognized where they were going, but he couldn’t believe it. Surely Bendy wasn’t thinking….

“You need another bath.”

Henry went cold. He had never earned that punishment for something so miniscule. It was as if getting fired for taking a smoke break five minutes too long.

“Let me go! I didn’t do anything!”

“It will only be a second, Dad.”

“You’re nuts!”

The door suddenly opened, causing them both to freeze. Henry looked over Bendy’s shoulder to see that their visitor was Charlie. The gruff looking toon shuddered underneath Bendy’s piercing gaze.

“Um….boss. Sorry to interrupt…whatever you were doing.”

“What. Is. It?” Bendy sounded pissed. 

“It’s the broad. She changed her demands.”

Bendy’s clawed hand let go of Henry. The animator felt the cool air hit his abused wrist after he was free. Henry backed far away from the Ink Demon, who didn’t back in his direction once, instead keeping his evil eyes on Charlie.

“What did you say?”

“It’s the truth.”

“Dammit!” Bendy cursed. He sent a chilling look Henry’s way, “I’ll be right back, Dad. We’ll talk about this later.”

Henry didn’t argue with him. When the toons left, he let out a breath he hadn’t even realized he had been holding. That was close. Dangerously close. Henry realized that Bendy was escalating with his ink bath. It was almost like he had been looking for an excuse to dunk him inside.

But why?


	19. Chapter 19

Bendy passed by a corpse that was strapped to a table, its chest opened up like a Christmas present. He growled at the mere sight of it. Even though the dead toon wasn't his Boris, it still looked like him --- and that was enough to set Bendy's blood boiling.

 

He talked toward their usual meeting room. Alice insisted on this place because of the large glass separating them. She wasn't afraid of Bendy, but that didn't mean she was stupid either. Glass was harder to phase through than normal wall, so it would take Bendy longer to reach her if she ever ticked him off. By the time he would manage to reach her, she would be able to make her escape.

 

"I gave ya yer ink, you dumb broad. What more do ya want?"

 

Alice smirked, "I want out."

 

"Out....where?"

 

"Out of here, dumbass," Alice hissed, her pointy teeth showing, "I'm tired of this place. You may feel safe here, but I'm a celebrity. I need to be out there where my adoring fans are."

 

"Talk about being full of yerself. And where did this even come from? You know toons can't leave forever."

 

Alice touched the hem of her dress, as if inspecting it for the first time. There was a contemplative look on her face.

 

"If you can turn a man into a toon, then you can surely turn a toon into a woman."

 

Bendy didn't say anything to that. Truthfully, he had no idea how he would be able to accomplish such a task. But he was a devil and lying was his forte.

 

"Sure, toots. I can do whatever you want. Just tell me where the machine is."

 

She frowned, "I'm serious, Bendy."

 

"So am I."

 

"Then tell me the process. How can you turn me into a toon?"

 

Bendy felt his inky heart sink in despair. He would have to come up with a convincing story and quick.

 

"So...I'm turning Henry into a toon by dunking him inta ink, right?"

 

"Right...." Alice seemed suspicious but at least she was listening.

 

Come on, Bendy. Think! He urged himself.

 

"Then all ya haveta do is....is...."

 

"What? What do I have to do?!" she screeched impatiently.

 

"Bathe in a real person's blood."

 

He blurted it out before he thought it all the way through. But as he saw Alice smile excitedly, he knew he had said the correct words. She believed him. And that was all he needed to worry about.

 

"Of course," a crazy gleam crossed her eyes, "That makes so much sense! If I can get a real man's blood....." she smirked at Bendy a little too long, causing him to frown. He thought up another lie quickly.

 

"You're going to need more than one real person. So Henry wouldn't be enough even if I did let ya hurt him," he growled, a natural instinct for whenever he felt protective, "Listen toots, we managed to get Henry to come inside the building. We can get others too."

 

The joy in her face fell, "You only brought Henry here because you pretended to be Joey. How do you plan on giving me enough real people for my bath?"

 

"I'll find a way."

 

"I don't believe you."

 

Bendy's patience snapped, "Tell me where the machine is and stay the FUCK away from Henry."

 

They stared each other down, trying to intimidate the other into submission. For a moment, Bendy considered trying to reach her so that he could teach her a lesson. But the damn woman would no doubt make her escape if she saw him trying.

 

Bendy sighed and offered a warm smile (at least as warm as he could make his smile appear).

 

“Okay, I’m willing to meet you halfway.”

 

But his friendliness didn’t appease her, “Tell me exactly how you plan on bringing them here?”

 

“By force,” he said sternly, “No real person is strong enough to stand against me. I’ll head to the real world myself and just carry them here.”

 

“But….I thought-“

 

“Toons can be out for a ‘lil while. You know that.”

 

“And you can get them before you dry up?”

 

Bendy smirked, “If I couldn’t, I wouldn’t of offered. So…..will you please just tell me where the machine is?”

 

A pause. Then finally, Alice said, “Okay.”

 

Finally, Henry was going to be what he was meant to all along.


End file.
